Hi Tony

I made the point that recently I received the latest edition of ABPS News (1 copy only) and one side was completly split open (how I don't know).  In another example, another society I work for received an A5 size type padded envelope at its address and again the side was completly torn open, again thankfully nothing was missing (4 very thin A5 booklets).  I can only assume that these damages are due to the automated sorting machines.

Mike

Chris / Bob

Just to correct you on that - it is Journal No [b]281[/b] (Autumn 2009) that is both in Word and PDF!

Mike

I have received the following enquiry from an individual in New Zealand:

[color=purple]Hi, can you put me in touch with anyone who can help around POW mail off Crete in the second half of 1941. I'm using mail as a proxy for camp designations and people movements.[/color]

Can anyone assist - if so please let me know and I'll pass on your details.

Thanks, Mike

Hi Sozont

I cannot be certain - you could be right that there may be some censorship going on somewhere (UK or Russia ???).  However, there could be a more simple explanation - the two letters have become damaged in the post (possibly due to the mechanisation processes used here in UK).  I do sometimes get mail sent to me from elsewhere in UK but with one side completely open (thankfully nothing had dropped out) - a most recent example was the ABPS News magazine sent to me (one copy only).  Certainly your second photo looks as though the side of the envelope has been damaged, rather than deliberately opened.  If opened for censorship I would have thought whoever was doing it would want to open it up completely to examine the contents (i.e. read the letter).  Whilst I cannot comment on the airletter the other letter looks as though it had content which may have assisted in it becoming torn (as opposed to being deliberately cut).

Hope this helps!

Regards, Mike

John

Could it be this one:

OAT and AV2 markings: A work in progress
Heifetz, Murray
Published by American Air Mail Society, 1997
ISBN 10: 0939429187 ISBN 13: 9780939429189

I have also seen cover illustrations for 2nd and 3rd Editions of this book!

This may be the second edition
Published by American Air Mail Society, 2000
ISBN 10: 0939429225 ISBN 13: 9780939429226

Mike

This is definately one for our East African collectors / experts!

I have received the attached queries from an individual - they are detailed and complex, can anyone out there able to provide any answers or suggestions please?

Thanks, Mike

Neil

Thank you so much for your continued 'digging' in trying to resolve the issues raised by Nick.  I was convinced that 25 A Corps Sigs [i]WAS NOT[/i] 25th Brigade but could not prove it!  You have done so and as a result I have come across this web site:
[url=http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol125cl.html]http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol125cl.html[/url]

This shows that East African Signal Corps (EA Signals) was a Corps in its own right formed on 1 September 1939 (not part of the British Army but an East African organisation) albeit it was staffed by (British) Royal Signals personnel: British Army Royal Signals personnel arrived from the United Kingdom to augment the fifty from Palestine to form the headquarters portions of 11 and 12 (A) Divisional Signals, 25 (A) Corps of Signals for advanced headquarters at Carissa, and a line of communications signal unit.

Mike

I meant to add in my response that his service numnber (2594475) fits in with the block allocated to the Royal Corps of Signals.
[url=http://www.researchingww2.co.uk/army-numbers-british-army-ww2/]http://www.researchingww2.co.uk/army-numbers-british-army-ww2/[/url]

Which would confirm he joined in England and was a British soldier.

Mike

Oh dear, I may have to disagree with you Neil but cannot be certain as this is far outside my area of knowledge / expertise!  However, looking on The Natiuonal Archives website  I came across several War Diaries relating to different aspects of 25 Corps (XXV Corps) in the WO169 class (British Forces Middle East War Diaries):

• WO 169/4024 1942 Apr.- July 25 Corps: G. Branch (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/4025 1942 Apr.- Dec. 25 Corps: AQ Branch (XXV Corps Adjutant and Quartermaster)
• WO 169/4026 1942 Sept.- 1943 May 25 Corps: HQ Cyprus Volunteer Force (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/4027 1942 Apr.- June, Nov. 25 Corps: RE (XXV Corps Royal Engineers)
• WO 169/4028 1942 Nov., Dec. 25 Corps: DCRE (XXV Corps Deputy Commander Royal Engineers)
• WO 169/4029 1942 May- Dec. 25 Corps: Signals (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/4030 1942 July- Dec. 25 Corps: DADPL (XXV Corps Deputy Assistant Director Pioneer and Labour)
• WO 169/4031 1941 Nov-1942 Dec 25 Corps: Hiring Service (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/8634 1943 Jan.- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: GS (XXV Corps Gneral Staff)
• WO 169/8635 1943 Jan.- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: Adjutant and Quartermaster (XXV Corps AQ)
• WO 169/8636 1943 Feb.- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: Chief Engineer (XXV Corps CE)
• WO 169/8637 1943 Jan.- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: Deputy Commander Royal Engineers (XXV Corps DCRE)
• WO 169/8638 1943 Feb.- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: Engineer Company Cyprus Volunteer Force (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/8639 1943 Jan.- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: Signals (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/8640 1943 May- July 25 Corps: Headquarters: Dvr. and Mech. School (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/8641 1943 July- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: Infantry Battalion Cyprus Volunteer Force (XXV Corps)
• WO 169/8642 1943 Jan.- May 25 Corps: Headquarters: Deputy Assistant Director Pioneer and Labour (XXV Corps DADPL)
• WO 169/8643 1943 Jan.- Dec. 25 Corps: Headquarters: Cyprus Regiment Base Depot (XXV Corps)

If this was a deception corps would there be so many potentially detailed war diaries?

This may not, of course, have anything to do with Nick's original query!

I also checked "2594475 Sig D Clayton" on the Forces War Records website but nothing came up, which is surprising considering there is a regimental number available.

If this response serves no purpose then please ignore it!

Mike

Does anyone know the location of FIELD POST OFFICE 1053 (Type S4 - double ring with thin arcs) in 1991?

In recent correspondence with Peter Burrows he sent me a scan of a cover which has meter franking machine inscribed B.F.P.O. / GULF 2 and serial number 9NE 11523 dated 12.3.91 (12 March 1991).  As well as having the unit datestamp of SH FORCE ME REAR / 12 MAR 1991 / AL JUBAIL (Support Helicopter Force Middle East Rear) it also has an unclear FIELD POST OFFICE datestamp - [u]this looks like[/u] 1053 but is it?

The Ransom book (see under "Draft Publications – Feedback Required" on the Forum Home page) lists the Type S4 (double ring FIELD POST OFFICE with thin arcs) 1053 up to November 1970 (BFPO 30 Hohne, Germany) only.  Thereafter it lists 1053 as Type 6a (single ring FORCES POST OFFICE) – used in Zimbabwe (BFPO 632 / BFPO 7) September 1983 to May 1994.

Does anyone have a double ring FIELD POST OFFICE 1053 (Type S4) used after November 1970, in particular in 1991?  Or can anyone confirm what the number in the postmark on the cover actually is?

I also have to say that 1053 does [u]not[/u] appear in the listing of Gulf FPOs compiled by John Daynes which appeared in FPHS Newsletter No 208 (Summer 1991) under the heading "Allied Forces Postal Services in the Gulf 1990-1991".

While we are on the Gulf War topic, John lists three meter marks: GULF 1 (at BFPO 646) and two with GULF 2 (both at BFPO 649).  He illustrates the two GULF 2 meter marks (9NE 11523 and 2 NE 18853).  I am interested in any reports / recordings of all these three meter marks used in the Gulf please.

Many thanks, Michael

An item I found hidden away in my email 'in' box which I meant to do something about two years ago now during the covid lockdown!  Circulated via another philatelic group, in view of the content I thought it might be appropriate for our Forum.  I sought permission from the author, Paul Davey, to publish it on our website.  If anyone can add to it or provide further information I'll be happy to pass it on.

The following is the text of the two covers displayed:

A number of Germans and Austrians from South Africa and a few from Rhodesia and other British areas in southern Africa were interned during the First World War. The larger camp was Fort Napier in Pietermaritzburg. For many years I had what looked like a reused registered envelope (fig 1) from the camp to the Deutsches Hilfsverein (German aid association) in Stockholm, sent 1 June 1915. It had a trilingual PRISONER OF WAR handstamp on the front. It transited London on 22 June and arrived in Stockholm on 28th. A stamp had been removed and the envelope was censored by the "HOSTILE COUNTRIES' CENSOR, / SALISBURY HOUSE, LONDON".

I recently found a similar cover from the same camp but dated 18 October 1915 (fig 2). This one however was addressed to Bohemia – Austria via a Bureau in Neuchatel, Switzerland where it arrives 15 November. Like the first it has a stamp removed. Both covers are resealed by the pink resealing label (usually found on POW mail) and marked POST FREE / P.C. / PRISONERS OF WAR.

I conclude that the stamps were removed by the censors, but I have seen very few WWI registered POW items to know if this was usual. Both were addressed to neutral countries but obviously destined for forwarding to "the other side"! Can anyone show others?

Mike

I have received the following query:

I have about 35 of these cards, what I call: POW Money Transfer Request Cards.

These cards were shown at our Hinckley regional meeting on 4 June and the person making the enquiry may have received more information there - or may not!

From looking at these cards he has worked out the camps in which these British soldiers were in and the whereabouts of the camps. They were sent to the Regimental Paymasters of REME and RAOC, both of which were in Leeds, and they each used a different system.

What he would like to know is:
- Has anything been written about them?
- Did any other Regiments have their Paymasters in Leeds?

Any information on this process would be gratefully received.

Thanks, Mike

Peter

I'm just guessing - could it be that as it was addressed to a POW (what nationality?) in Germany that it would have gone through Dutch military censors?

Mike

According to "Shore Estabkishments of the Royal Navy" (Being a list of the Static Ships and Establishments of the Royal Navy) Compiled by Lt Cdr B Warlow, RN; (pub 1992; Maritime Books):

HMS Saker II, Connecticut Avenue, Washington, USA, commissioned 1 December 1941; became HMS Saker on 1 November 1942
For personnel standing by ships under construction and refit and other unattached personnel in USA.

HMS Saker, commissioned 1 December 1942 (ex Saker II); Senior Officer in New York October 1945; HMS Saker was in Washington 1947-1990 then to Virginia.

HMS Saker II at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, New York (originally HMS Asbury but became HMS Saker II on 31 March 1944)

HMS Asbury, Asbury Park, New Jersey (accommodation) commissioned 1 October 1942 and paid off 29 February 1944.  US Navy Station on Rhode Island (Quonset Point) used by FAA squadrons forming in USA.  Was HMS Saker II to 1 October 1942, then commissioned as an independent command; became HMS Saker II again 31 March 1944.

According to "The Postal History of the Naval and RAF Postal Services" by Edward B. Proud; (pub 1992; Postal History Publishing Co):

Fleet Mail Office No 14 - New York (HMS Saker) recorded used 13 November 1945 - 12 December 1946

So, it doesn't look as thought there was a major RN presence in New York during the early part of WW2.

Mike  :)

Chris

Well done - but I hope you didn't re-type 16 pages worth of text!! 
I hope you had some software to scan and convert to text in Word (e.g. OCR).

Mike